MARANELLO, ITALY, May 7, 2007 – The original 1962 LeMans winning Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Testa Rossa, driven by Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien, one of the world’s most valuable motor cars, sold for over $9,250,000 at the RM/Sotheby auction held at the Ferrari factory on Sunday.
This car was joined on the block by an unprecedented collection of factory-certified Ferrari sports and racing cars many of which also sold for multi-million dollar prices. The cars took the podium at their native birthplace in Maranello, Italy as RM Auctions’, teamed up with Sotheby's, to conduct the “Leggenda e Passione” auction to coincide with the famed Italian road race, the Mille Miglia.
This staggering sum brought in for the Ferrari 330 came close to the current world record price for a car at auction which is £5.5 million, or $9.8 million paid for a 1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale Sports Coupe, sold in London in November 1987 sold by Christie’s. When all of the auction fees are folded in the Ferrari might exceed this and earn the top spot.
Even if it falls short, this was quite a way to kick off the first European sale of North America’s leading classic car auction house and restoration company. This sale featured significant automobiles from Ferrari’s sixty-year history of producing the world’s finest sports and racing cars and more than 100 lots of important racing memorabilia from Ferrari’s own archives.
RM and Sotheby’s knew the 1962 Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Testa Rossa would be one of the highlights of the May 20 auction. It’s the only 4-liter Testa Rossa built and it’s the last Testa Rossa built by Ferrari. Raced by the legendary Phil Hill and Olivier Gendebien for their epic third Le Mans win, it’s the last front-engined car ever to capture an overall victory at Le Mans. RM assures us that it’s provenance is well documented. Winning the chance to drive this absolutely unique piece of racing history home was estimated to cost: $8,000,000 - $10,000,000 US and they were right on the money.
But this wasn’t the only story. There were a number of other great cars for the bidders. We’ll give you the results in US dollars that we’ve converted from Euros. This won’t take into account the currency fluctuations but will give you a good idea of the prices.
The 1970 Ferrari 512 S (Chassis 1006) offered at this sale was raced by Luigi Chinetti’s N.A.R.T. (North American Racing Team) twice at Sebring, in Buenos Aires, Le Mans, as well as in two CanAm races. In 1971 at the grueling 24-Hours of Daytona, the car placed an admirable second. Race marque experts have called this 512 S “one of the most original and unmolested examples in existence”. The Estimate was $2,500,000 - $3,000,000 U.S. and it sold for more: $3,552,206.
The 1953 Ferrari 340MM (Chassis 0268) – the most powerful Ferrari of its time, with a 4.1 liter, 300 bhp V-12 beneath its signature coachwork was their to turn on the bidders. Of the ten built, only two were configured as Touring Spyders and this one is the only survivor with original bodywork. Originally a factory team entrant in the 1953 Mille Miglia and winner at Montlhéry, chassis 0268 was later restored in the 1980’s by Charles C. Jones, after which it spent several years in Briggs Cunningham’s museum in California. It was a participant in the 1996 Mille Miglia and invited to Pebble Beach in 2005. RM Estimated it would fetch $2,700,000 - $3,200,000 U.S. and when the bidding was done the car brought $5,698,331.
1966 Ferrari Dino 206 SP (Chassis 008) - retains its original 2-liter V-6 engine, gearbox and bodywork and has been restored mechanically and cosmetically to the highest degree. It’s well-documented history includes ownership and entries by both SEFAC Ferrari and N.A.R.T., as well as an impressive roster of drivers from the greatest age of sports car and sports prototype racing: Bondurant, Vaccarella, Ginther, Rodriguez, Kolb, Follmer, Schlesser, Gregory and Peter Gregg. They estimated $2,200,000 - $2,700,000 U.S. and it too exceeded the estimate when it sold for $3,256,189.
1997 Ferrari F310B Formula One - Chassis 175, the ex-Michael Schumacher, Monaco and Spa winning example is one of the most important of all the Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 race cars. Fabulously presented and recently track tested, this historic example has been part of two important U.S. collections since its retirement and is offered for sale for the first time in many years.
The Estimate $1,000,000 - $1,400,000 U.S. and the final sales price: $1,037,316.
The unprecedented sale lineup also included a rare 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (Chassis 9803). With only two owners from new, it remains one of the most original 275 GTB/4’s ever offered at auction. With its 300 hp, four-cam DOHC engine with six carburetors, the GTB/4 can hit 165 mph. Also, a desirable example of the definitive, 12-cylinder, front engine, road-going Ferrari, built by Scaglietti, roared into the hands of a new owner.
As photos become available we’ll post them here. For now, we’ll serve our first course --- the very tasty prices.
Complete Auction Results in Euros and USD:
Ferrari – Leggenda e Passione 2007
Cars Results
Lot Year/Make/Model
201 1986 Ferrari 328 GTS 44,000 € US $59,275.20
202 1963 Ferrari 250 GTE 143,000 € US $192,644
203 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GT 132,000 € US $177,825
204 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC 165,000 € US $222,282
205 2006 Ferrari 248 F 1 Grand Prix Car 1,650,000 € US $2,220,129
206 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 605,000 € US $815,034
207 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO 440,000 € US $592,752
208 1970 Ferrari 512 S 2,640,000 € US $3,552,206
209 1983 Ferrari 126 C2B F1 Grand Prix Car 418,000 € US $563,114
210 1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 88,000 € US $118,550
211 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS 137,500 € US $185,235
212 2006 Ferrari F430 GT 440,000 € US $592,752
213 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS4 (Daytona Spider)1,045,000 € US $1,406,081
214 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione 2,090,000 €
US $2,812,163
215 1966 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 66,000 € US $88,913
216 1992 Ferrari F40 275,000 € US $370,470
217 2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano 297,000 € US $400,107
218 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta 1,870,000 € US $2,516,146
219 1997 Ferrari F310B Formula 1 Grand Prix Car 770,000 € US $1,037,316
220 1968 Ferrari 365 GTC 165,000 € US $222,282
221 1962 Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Testa Rossa Spyder 6,875,000 €
US $9,250,538
222 1953 Ferrari 340 MM Competition Spyder 2,310,000 € US $3,108,180
223 1981 Ferrari 512 BB 93,500 € US $125,959
224 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO Prototipo 506,000 € US $681,665
225 1987 Ferrari F40 Prototipo 460,000 € US $619,695
226 2001 Ferrari 550 Sperimentale 165,000 € US $222,282
227 2003 Ferrari F2003-GA Formula 1 Grand Prix Car 1,540,000 €
US $2,072,120
228 1967 Ferrari 365 California 715,000 € US $949,750
229 1966 Ferrari Dino 206 SP 2,420,000 € US $3,256,189
230 1967 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 71,500 € US $96,322
231 1966 Ferrari 275 GTS 423,500 € US $570,524
232 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB 605,000 € US $815,034
233 1953 Ferrari 340/375 MM Berlinetta Competizione 4,235,000 €
US $5,698,331
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